Rim and tire holder for automobiles.



P. c. MILLER. RIM AND TIRE HOLDER FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 8, 1913 1,094,086, Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

(Jo f ATTORNEY i F. c. MILLER. RIM AND TIRE HOLDER FOR A TOMOBILES.

- APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1913. 1 094 Q86 Patented Apr. 21, 1914. 2 sums-311mm.

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIGE.

FRANKLIN C. MILLER, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RIM LAND TIRE HOLDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

oan cs6.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed March 8, 1913. Serial 110753.010.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, FRANKLIN C. h'liLLEu,

av citizen of the United States, residing at.

Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsyl 'auia, have invented a new and useful Rim and Tire Holder for Automobiles, of which the following is a specifidrawings.

cation.

The invention relates to improvements in rim and tire holders for automobiles. The object of theprcsent invention is to improve the construction of rim and tire holders for automobiles, more especially'the' locking means for confining the tires, and to IPIOX'lClG a simple, lnexpensive and eflicienttire locking means of strong and durable construction, designed for confining the upper and lower portions of the rims and tires on upper and lower supports, and capable of aclpistment to enable varlous styles and sizes of demountable rims and tires to be securely locked on the said supports and of effectually preventing such rims and tires from being removed from the holdeuuntil unlocked by With these and thcr objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in .the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation of a rim and tire holder, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view of the same. Figs. 3 and' l are detail plan views partly in section, illustrating the construction of the upper and lower supports. Fig.

I 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking devices.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in. all the figures of the In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rim and tire holder comprises in its construction upper and lower supports 1 and 2 and upper and lower locking devices.

arching the upper and lower support and deta cl iably retainingthereon a pair of demountable rims 3 and tires 4.- The upper support 1, which is designed to be constructed of pressed steel or other suitable material, is curved longitudinally to present upper convex faces to and conform to'the configuration of and provide seats for the upper portions of'the rims 3, and its terminals are preferably tapered, as shown. The upper support is provided 'with spaced parallel grooves 5, receiving the upper portions of the rims and the tires and formed by outer marginal flanges 6, and an arched intermediate longitudinal connecting portion or web '7, interposed between the rims and constituting the inner walls of the curved grooves or seats of the upper support. The upper support is provided at the center of its grooves or seats with downwardly tapered depressions 8, which are seated upon and secured by bolts 9 to ahorizontal supporting arm 10 of an upper bracket. The upper bracket consists of the said horizontal arm 10 and an inclined upwardly extending arm 11, having an approximately U-shaped attaching portion 12 formed by bending the mctalof the inclined arm on itself and looped over and secured by bolts 13 to the side 14 of acar, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The upper support is also preferably provided at opposite sides of the center with depressions 15 for the reception of cushions '16 of rubber, orany other suitable material projecting above, the upper faces of the bottoms of the grooves or seats of the upper support, and receiving and slip porting the rims and adapted to prevent the 'same from being injured by the vibrations a )proximatel v inverted U-shaped in cross se tion and spacing the grooves or seats from each other. The weight of the rims and tires i sustained by the upper support, which thcw b v relieves the lower portions of the tires of pressure and prevents that deterioration ofth'e-rubber, which would result if the bottoms'of the tireswere subjected to the constant pressure of-the weight of the rims and tires. The lower support is provided; at opposite sides of the'center with depressions arms 21, provided at their upper ends with approximately L-shaped attaching portions 22 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the side beam or frame member 23 of the automobile. The depressions receive .the

15. nuts of bolts 24-, which pierce the lower support and the horizontal arms of the lower supporting brackets. By securing the upper and lower brackets to a car at different distances apart, the upper and lower supports zo'are adapted to be arranged to receive rims and tires-of diflerent diameters.

- The'uppe'r and lower supports are adapted- -to hold demountable rims with various kinds and styles'of tires, and also tires of any type as without e *No'claim is made in the present applica .tion to the upper and lower supports and the supporting brackets, as these form the subject-matter of an application filed by me far Jan. 31, 1913-, serial N0.- 745,457.

The upper locking device comprises in its eonstructioninner and outer vertlcal bars or Jnembers 25 and 26 and a top connectlng bar f Eurmember 27. Theiinner/vertical bar or member25 i's permanentlyand' adjustably .con-

sidethereof by means of a confining 28 or similar headed fastening devlce.

a F-b ltQQ havIng a thumb nut 30 for damping the inner vertical bar or member hilt-29, which project horizontally from an 525 hi'its adjustment. The rivet 28 and the upwardly projecting arm- 31, pass through a vertical longitudinal slot 32 of the inner vertical bar or member 25, wh-ich-when the thumb nut 30 ofthe bolt 29 is loosened, is adapted to'slide upwardly and downwardly to arrange the top connecting bar 'or'member 28 at the proper elevation in spaced relation' with the'upper support to provide the necessary-room for the tires and rims and also for confining the same on the seats of the upper support. The' fixed projecting arm or portion 31 is connectedat its lower. portion with a backing piece '33, which is suitably fixed to the exterior of the outer wall of the rear grooveor seat of the upper support. Therivet 28 and t-hebolt 29 are arranged in spaced relation and prevent pivotal movement of the inner vertical bar on the support, and the rigid projecting arm or portion 31 fits a ainst the vertical bar 25 andforms a brace or the same. The upper 'endof the inner or rearvertical bar 25 is .rovided witha rearwardly 'extendmg per-' .65 grated ear or flange 34, arranged hor1z n-- vertical bar 26- constitutes a has .and is provided at its lower portion with a tally and preferably formed bybendingthe upper portion of the bar 25 at right anglesandreceiving a vertical pi'vot 35,. piercing the inner or rear end of the horizontal topbar 27 and passing 'throughthe perforation of the ear 34:. The rivet' permanently pivots the top bar 27 to the upper end of the inner or rear vertical bar 25, but any other form" of pivot may, of course, be employed. The inner or rear vertical bar ,25 constitutes a post and the horizontal top bar 27 is adapted to be swung horizontally-inwardly .or' rearwardly to carry it and the front vertical bar or member 26 beyond the tires and the rims to free the upper portions thereof.

The Y outer vertical bar or member 26, which depends from the .frontend of the top bar 27, is connected at its upper end therewith by a hinge joint 36, which permits the outer bar or member 26 to be swung up-- wardly beyond the plane of the top portions of the tires to'enable the top bar to be swung rearwardly clear ofthe same. The bar or postfi25 and the pivotal connection of the top bar 27 support'the latter in a horizontal position, so'that there is no pressure exerted on the upper portions of th tires. The outer member plurality of grooves or recesses 37, formed by exterior transverse ribs 38 and adaptedto receive a key actuated bolt 39 of a lock 40, mounted on the exterior of the outer wall of the 'front groove or seat in spaced rela-. tion with an exterior lug 41 also fixed to the upper support. The outer hinged bar or a hasp member 26 is adapted to wing downwardly to arrange its lower por ion between the lock casing 40 and the lug 41, and it is confined in such space bythebolt 39. 'Any suitable construction of lock may, of course, be employed, and instead of mounting the lock on the upper support, it may, of course,- be applied to the hasp member for engaging a suitable keeper of the support. The plurality of grooves or recesses 37 are arranged in a vertical series and are provided to cooperate with the ad ustable connection between the rear bar 26 and the support to permit the vertical adjustment of'the upper locking device. When the hasp member of the upper locking device is secured to the upper support, thetires and rimsare confined in the seats or grooves of the'said up per support, and they are securely locked so'that-it willbe impossible to remove them from their seats without unlocking the hasp member. Y

The lower locking device 'inpludes air-inner vertical bar 42, constructed similar. to the bar-v.25 and provided with a vertical longitudinal slot 43 for thereception of a headed rivet 44, and a bolt 4:5 provided with a thumb nut 46 for clamping the innervertical bar on member in vertical adjustment.'v

noeeose The rivet at and the bolt are mounted on a vertical arm or portion 47, which has a baclnng block or piece 48, tapered upwardly and. conforming to the configuration of the adjacent wall of the lower support. and pre senting a vertical face to the arm 47.

The top bar or member, which extends across and fits against the lower portions of the rims 3, is composed of a relatively short rear section 49 and a relatively. long front section 50, connected at its inner end p to the rear section 49 by a hinge joint 51,

adapted to permit the front section 50 to be swung upwardly to enable the same and the outerhasp bar or'member 52 to clear the lower portions of the tires and the rims. The

pivot or pintle of the hinge-joint is located above the lower faces of the sections 49 andv 50, which have abutting edges below the M pivot or pintle of the hinge joint to limit the downward swing of the front member 50 andsupport the same in a horizontal position, sothat the weight of the top bar or member and the hasp member will be sustained by the rear vertical bar or post. The

beyond the vertical plane of the tires and rims to release the lower portions thereof.

"llhe upper end of the hasp member.52 is connected by a hinge joint 55 with the outer end of the front section 50 of the top connecting bar. or member to enable the hasp section to be'swung upwardly similar to the haspmember 26 of the upper locking device.

The lower end of the hasp member 52 is provided with a plurality of. grooves or re cesses 56 formed by ribs 57 and adapted to be engaged by a key actuated bolt 58 of a suitable lock 59, mounted on the exterior of the'outer wall of the front groove or seat of the lower support. The lower end of the hasp member is received between the lock casing and a fixed lug 60, arranged in spaced relation with the lock 59 similar to the lug ll of the upper support. The upper and lower supports are provided at the front with backing plates or pieces 61 and 62, presenting outer vertical faces to the hasp members and carrying the locksrand the lugs and conforming to the configuration of and suitably secured to the outer walls of the front grooves or seats of the upper and lower supports. The upper and lower locking de vices besides securing the rims and tires on the upper and lower supports also operate to prevent the rims and tires from being jolted out of their groovesor seats.

curing the lower Vl hat is claimed is tj 1. A tire holder includinga tire support, a post rising from one side of the support, a. top memberconnected at one end to the post and extending across the support in spacedrelation therewith, a hasp member hinged to and depending from the other end of'the top memben said hasp member bein arranged tofjswing inwardly andoutwfardly to and from the support, and means for s eend of' the'hingedha'sp memberto the support. i

2. A tire holder including a support adapted to receive a tire, a post. rising from. one side of the support, a top baror mem}. ber movablyconnected with the said post and extending to the opposite sideof thesupport and arranged in spaced relation with thesame, said top bar or member being arranged to swing horizontally to carry it beyond the tire, a. hasp member hinged to and depending from the top bar or-member and carried by the latter 'in the horizontalinovement thereof, and means for securing the lower end of the hasp member to the support.

3. A tire. holder including a support adapted to receive a tire, apost arranged at one side of the support, a horizontal top member located aboveand in spaced relation with the support and pivota-lly connected at one end to the said post and adapted to swing horizontally. beyond the said support, a hasp member dependi'ng from and movably connected with the other end of the top member, and locking means for securing the lower end of the haspmem her to the support. H y

at. A tire holder including a support, a post risingfrom one sideof the support, a top bar or member extending across the support in spaced relation therewith and connected at one end with the post, hasp member depending from. the. other end of the top member and carried by'the latter, means for adjust-ably connecting the post to'the support, and locking means for securing the hasp member to the support in different adj ustmcnts of the post.

5. A tire holder including a support, a

post rising from one side of the support and ing an arm or portion at one side. avertically adjustable post provided with a vertical slot, headed fastening means mounted on the said arm or portion andiexteliding through the slotted post and permanently connecting the latter to the said support, a

' bolt also mounted on the 'saidarm or portion extending across the support in spaced rela-tion therewith, a hasp member depending from and connected with the top banor member andhavinga plurality of recesses,

and a lock mounted on the support and having a bolt arranged to engage'with'the said recesses 'to secure the hasp member to the support in 'diflerent adjustments of the post.

8. A tireholder including-a support, a. vertically adjustable post rising from one side of the support, a top'bar or member connected with and carried by the post and extending across the support in spaced relation therewith, a hasp member depending from and connected with the top bar or member andhaving a plurality of recesses,,- a lock mountedv on the support and havingavboltarran'ged to engage the recesses of the nasp member, and a fixed lug or portion carried by the support and arranged 'in' spaced relation with tl1e lock to form a recess for. the hasp member. v

9. A tire holder including a supporha. post rising from one side or the'support, a top bar or member connected with the post and extending across the support in spaced relation therewith, a hasp member depending from the top member and having its lower end arranged at one side of the support and provided at its outer face with a plurality of horizontal ribs forming recesses, a fixed lug carried by the support and arranged at one edge of the hasp member,

and a lock mounted on the support at the 3 other edge of the hasp member and provided with a bolt adapted to engage the said recesses. 1

10. A tire holder including a support, a post rising from one side ofthe support, a top member connected at one end to the post and composed-of two sections hinged together, a hasp member carried "by the' other end of the top member, and means for securing'the hasp member to the support;

11. A tire'holder including'a support, a post rising from one side of the support, a

' top member pivoted at'one end to the post and arranged to swing horizontally, said' top member extending across the support in spacedrelation therewith and composed of two hinged sections, a hasp mernber de-.

pending from the top member, and means forsecuring-the top'me'mberto the support.-

12. A tire holder including upper and lower supports and upper and lower looking devices for the supports, each locking device comprising a rear post, a top bar or member extending forwardly from the rear post, a front hasp member hinged to and depending from the to member, saidghasp member being arrange to swing inwardly and outwardly to and from the co-acting support, and locking means for securing the hasp member to the support. Y p In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLINC. MILLER. Witnesses:

. RUssE 'L D; WELCH,

S. S. Horn. 

